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Florida Expands Accessibility to Postsecondary Education

Florida Governor Rick Scott has signed into law legislation that allows undocumented students to be eligible for in-state tuition rates at Florida’s postsecondary education institutions.

Up until now, many Florida high school graduates who have lived in Florida for multiple years, or even all of their lives, have been unable to qualify for in-state tuition. This has been a particularly difficult problem for students who are undocumented immigrants that were brought to the United States by their parents as a child.

“Ensuring all of Florida’s students have the opportunity to pursue and succeed in higher education is critical to the future economic and civic vitality of our state,” said Braulio Colón, Vice President and Program Director for Helios Education Foundation. "This change in the law opens the door to so many more deserving students and helps our state build an even broader pipeline of college graduates who will be prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.”

House Bill 851 expands affordable access to higher education for Floridians and allows Florida high school graduates, who would otherwise be unable to establish Florida residency for tuition purposes, to pay lower, in-state tuition rates at state universities, Florida College System institutions, career centers and charter technical career centers. The law now provides for the waiver of out-of-state fees for students based on certain attendance, graduation, and enrollment requirements; and prohibits denial of classification as a resident for tuition purposes based on immigration status.